how do you kill ivy?, page-5

I can vouch for the fact that cutting back the ivy slows its growth. One of my neighbours was determined to rid our common 5' galvanised fence of the ivy which looked like a green hedge on my side and also added an extra foot of height. It had obviously been there for a long time and I liked it, but in her mind it had to go. Never mind that it was trimmed neatly - it was damaging the fence.

I arrived home from a holiday to find the whole lot detached from the fence and lying horizontal on my side!! After several weeks of work on my part, all that remained were the bits near the ground which are now trimmed into a little hedge about 30cm tall! It doesn't take much work at all and a quick trim a couple of times a year keeps it looking neat. I had tried poison without success and am quite happy that I didn't kill it off.

I also have another longer fence still entirely covered in ivy and it's very easy to keep it under control by trimming and pulling up the runners. I've visited a lot of hills gardens and noticed that ivy's used as a feature along paths etc and manages to exist comfortably beside everyday and exotic plants as long as it's trimmed regularly.

Interesting page about Ivy here too:
Ivy- Its Benefits, Disadvantages, and How to Kill it

What I do have a problem with in a corner of the garden is vinca. It's gone beserk this year with all the rain. It's impossible to remove just by digging out and I've just now decided to use the heavy artilliary - glysophate - and reclaim that part of the yard. Anyone know whether chooks control it? Or would it strangle them? LOL

This place isn't quite the jungle it once was, but I can't afford to take my eyes off the ball.

Good luck with your ivy :-)

Cheers!
J/W